Image-based depth-sensors may be used in a variety of different environments. For example, an image-based depth sensor may be used with a video game system to allow players to interact with the video game system through the use of bodily gestures alone, without the use of hand-held motion sensors or the like to detect the gestures.
Some image-based depth sensors utilize structured light to measure the depth in an image. One embodiment of this system utilizes a projector to illuminate a target at some distance with a predefined light pattern. An image of this light pattern as reflected by the target is acquired via an image sensor, and distance or depth information is calculated from the distortion of the pattern relative to a known pattern at a known distance in the image.
A variety of methods may be used for creating a structured light pattern. For example, various combinations of lenses, diffusers, diffractive optics, and the like may be used in combination with a light source such as a laser to create a projector to illuminate a target. Likewise, various optical elements may be used to create an image of the pattern as reflected by the target onto a sensor to measure the depth of the target. For proper system performance, such optics must be very high quality and must be aligned to tight tolerances. This is a time consuming, labor intensive and costly manufacturing process.